Tuesday, December 30, 2008

13 Weeks

From Baby Center:

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

This is the last week of your first trimester, and your risk of miscarriage is now much lower than earlier in pregnancy. Next week marks the beginning of your second trimester, a time of relative comfort for many women who see early pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness and fatigue subside.

Note from Jen:

I think it is funny that Baby Center deviated from its fruit-to-baby comparison this week to say that the baby is the size of a shrimp. To me a shrimp seems smaller than a lime (week 12). Oh well, I guess there are no 3 inch long fruits or veggies that would work for this week.

Anyway, I feel good this week. I have my appetite back and am about 90% sure that morning sickness is over! Whoo hoo!

My lower back/ sciatic nerve has been acting up a bit and it makes me a bit nervous for the 14 hour flight to China which is only a month away. I am thinking that I might bring some sort of microwavable heating pad and maybe a seat cushion... or maybe we can just upgrade to business class :) For those of you who have flown much during pregnancy, do you have any suggestions?

The baby LOVES tamales and is definitely a little Mexican :) I don't really think I have been having any real cravings, but there are a few things that have been really good... Orange Juice, fruit, and almost anything Mexican or Italian. Last night I told Kenny that fruit filled donuts sounded good and this morning he showed up at my office with a yummy lemon filled donut and milk. He is so sweet :)

Friday, December 26, 2008

All in a day's work...


This is the view from my office last week: Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The white building is the Kennedy Space Center.

Prius Power!

Not to brag, but our car rocks! This ain't the best picture in the world, but it shows that we averaged at least 100 mpg for the past 30 minutes! The picture was taken on I-5 south when we were returning from Bakersfield. (Just in case you wanted to know, the car usually averages about 50 mpg)

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas!


Sorry no real Christmas cards this year... feel free to print this one out if you really want one :)

Merry Christmas everyone! We love you!!!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Week 12


From Baby Center:
The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. (after we read this, I started to poke both sides of my belly and laughed that the baby didn't know which way to move. Kenny didn't think it was very funny!)

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

Note from Jen:

Feeling pretty good. I am hesitant to say that I am over the first trimester woes (you know what happened last time!), but overall I feel so much better.

The only weird thing this week was that I have been totally grossed out by the smell of spaghetti. We went to Phillipi's Pizza Grotto, which is normally amazing, but I really was not liking any of the food and every time we heated up leftovers, the smell was not pleasant in the least. No big deal, just weird.

Tomorrow is Christmas and already the baby has been getting more presents than me or Kenny :) I can't wait to see what else he/she gets... I'll have to post pictures this weekend cause everything is so cute!

So much more to post, but in the interest of Christmas and love to my fellow men and women, I will keep this short :) I'll just leave you with my week 12 picture we took last night...

Monday, December 22, 2008

Snow Day!

Jen took off work on Friday and we flew up to her parent's house for a snow day! A few days ago they got over 12 inches of snow, so we figured we'd better take advantage of it and have an early Christmas.

Pilot LOVED the snow and we had a great time sledding and hanging out.







Thursday, December 18, 2008

That's what I get for bragging

Ok. Well I guess it wasn't necessarily bragging, but for the last few days I had been feeling relatively good and have been telling everyone that I think I am finally over my morning (all-day) sickness. Tonight the baby had other plans and sent me rushing once again to the bathroom. Nice.



Sorry if this is TMI, but I am writing this blog as more of a journal and I want to remember every bit about the pregnancy... even the not-so-great parts :)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

11 Weeks

From BabyCenter:

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. His/Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under the gums, and some bones are beginning to harden.

The baby is already busy kicking and stretching, and his/her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as his/her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

If you're like most women, you're feeling a bit more energetic now and your nausea may be starting to wane. Don't worry if nausea has made it impossible for you to eat a wide variety of healthy foods or if you haven't put on much weight yet (most women gain just 2 to 5 pounds during the first trimester). Your appetite will likely return soon, and you'll start to gain about a pound a week.


Note from Jen:

This week I am finally feeling almost back to normal. I still get a few waves of nausea and am super tired, but overall I feel good.

My appetite is finally back and I am so thankful that food actually sounds good again. Friday night was my company Christmas party and poor Kenny had to go back to the buffet over and over to get me more prime rib. Everyone at the table blamed it on the baby, but in all honesty, it was just good prime rib and it was free, so I was going to eat what I could :)

Today we went in for our second check-up and everything looks good. All my blood work came back normal... except for the fact that my doctor told me my blood type was O negative. Strange... I always thought I was A positive. So weird. I think someone at the hospital where I was born might have messed something up... good thing I have never needed a blood transfusion!

I am also RH negative which just means that I have to get a shot at 28 weeks and another one after the baby is born so that the baby and I don't try to kill each other if he/she turns out to be RH positive. Shesh. There is already bad blood in the family.

At the appointment today, Kenny and I also got to hear the baby's heartbeat. It sounded just like a freight train. Kenny said it was all he could do not to shout "Whoo! Whoo!" after the "Chug-a-Chug" of the heartbeat.

I haven't taken a picture this week, but will try to tonight or tomorrow. I pretty much look the exact same, although people here at work are saying they can tell I have a little belly now.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

10 Weeks

From BabyCenter:

Though your baby is barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, he has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout the pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside the womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

Note from Jen:

I am feeling alright this week, although it comes and goes. On Saturday evening I looked like I was out of a tv sitcom with how stereotypically sudden the sickness came on, forcing me to cover my mouth and run for the bathroom. Kenny couldn't stop laughing! Good thing it isn't him going through it :)

I am 10 weeks along and have been very fortunate not to have any complications or severe morning sickness. Although I am still counting the days for the first trimester and all the sickness and exhaustion that goes along with it, to be over.

We finally took a picture Monday night of my little belly (although it does seem larger in the picture!) Hopefully we will keep on top of taking the pictures and posting on the blog.

Thank you all for your sweet comments... glad you are all excited as well ;)

Sunset


Kenny sent this to me as he was flying home from Oregon last night.

He has such a rough job :)

Monday, December 08, 2008

Drumroll Please...




Oh wait, that is not a drumroll.. that is our little baby's heartbeat :)

Yep, we are having a baby. He/She is due July 8, 2009... and with Kenny's affinity for numbers, he is thrilled that we could have a baby on 07-08-09!

Jen is feeling alright, a bit of all day sickness and exhaustion, but it could always be worse!

On Thanksgiving, we told our parents by giving them "tickets for our next adventure" It took them a while to figure out they weren't going to China with us ;)



Thursday, December 04, 2008

Great way to start my morning

I opened up my email this morning and found this. Awww... I love Kenny :)


"Good Morning!

From Cocoa Beach, Florida!

I love you."